


Hello Darkness My Old Friend

by EstelleDusk



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Don't copy to another site, Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:00:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22472995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EstelleDusk/pseuds/EstelleDusk
Summary: Bullet list style of an Canon Divergence where Riku stays as one of the Dark and never goes back to the Light, Aged Up to make bad decisions make a bit more sense because we ALL know how many bad decisions are made closer to the end of high school
Relationships: Ansem Seeker of Darkness | Xehanort's Heartless & Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi & Riku & Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi & Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi & Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Maleficent & Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Riku & Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14
Collections: Mama Mal and Changeling Riku





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> If, after reading this, you decided you like this AU and want to run with it and write stuff for it, PLEASE DO (just remember to click the Inspired By button)
> 
> The only reason this is posted like this and not as a proper story is because I ain't got the time for that right now
> 
> aside, that does mean if I ever get the time, I'll put one-shots of this in a collection series thing
> 
> (oh and this is finished, I'm just posting each section as a different chapter, after editing it)

## The Islands:

* * *

## Part 1

  * They left on the raft, Sora Riku and Kairi
  * No storm of Darkness rose that night
  * Riku was tempted by Ansem that night, and refused
  * He overheard Kairi suggest to Sora that they leave Riku behind
  * But he believed in Sora, believed they wouldn’t actually leave him
  * Believed they cared for him just as much as he cared for them
  * And so they set sail, leaving notes of goodbye, words of warm wishes to their families
  * But then they drifted at sea
  * Lost some of their meager supplies
  * Lost course, despite not truly having one in the first place
  * Toppled over
  * Thankfully, their families hadn’t stopped looking since their departure
  * They couldn’t have been in the water for more than a few hours
  * Shivering throughout the night
  * They were bundled up separately,
  * Taken into the arms of their loving families
  * For the most part
  * Riku had been eager to leave that small world for a reason after all
  * And he wanted to bring his world with him
  * Instead, he shivered and dripped seawater under a blanket
  * As he watched Sora’s mother cling tight to her son
  * And glare at his best friend
  * As he watched Kairi’s parents cling to their beloved chosen daughter
  * And murmur vaguely loud enough 
  * And glance his way often enough
  * Riku was a smart boy, even if he was more a delinquent student
  * He could tell something was being said about him
  * As he glanced at his guardians barely putting any attention to him
  * He frowned
  * He could tell, he’ll get no help from them
  * They were already too engrossed with telling each other off for whose fault this was
  * It was his fault
  * It’s always Riku’s fault somehow
  * No matter, he’ll figure it out, he always does



* * *

## Part 2

  * It was a _while_ before he saw Sora or Kairi again
  * He didn’t think much of it
  * Summer had just ended
  * Riku was in a new school since he was older
  * And he’s pretty sure he overheard from Tidus and Selphie that Sora and Kairi got really sick
  * Because of his smart idea to go out on the raft
  * He just wished he’d been allowed to see them
  * But he was grounded to hell and back
  * He only saw his best friends again when he had enough of playing the good son
  * And skipped class
  * He smiled when he saw them, and cupped his hands around his mouth
  * Then he saw Kairi notice him, and pale
  * She dragged Sora away before he could notice Riku
  * Next time he saw them, Sora did the dragging
  * Most times after, one of their parents dragged them away from each other
  * It went on for a long time
  * Riku trying to get back to his best friends
  * And everyone around them stopping them
  * Ansem came again, and it was harder to refuse him



* * *

## Part 3

  * His heart was breaking slowly
  * Why did no one seem to care that it wasn’t actually his fault?
  * All three of them put their heads together and thought to set sail
  * It’s not like they hid what they were doing
  * No one thought they would actually sail off and never come back
  * Then they did and now Riku is laid with all the blame?
  * The anger was festering in him
  * But Riku put on a smile and continued on
  * He hadn’t actually had a chance to talk with his best friends yet
  * Maybe their parents threatened to ground them
  * Maybe they still loved him too
  * He finally managed to pin down Sora alone
  * They were quite a bit older now
  * Surely the trouble with the raft is forgotten now
  * “Come on Sora, let’s hangout like old times
  * “Sora, please
  * “Yes, you almost died, but it wasn’t my fault
  * “Your leg was caught in the rope
  * “I saved you, don’t you remember that
  * “You weren’t breathing for a moment
  * “Neither of you were
  * “But I saved you and then the adults came
  * “Sora, please just listen.”
  * But he didn’t listen
  * He was conflicted, Riku could see that
  * But Sora ran away from him
  * Riku could feel his heart in his throat
  * Ansem came a third time
  * He was told to wait
  * Riku just had to check something and then he’d gladly do as asked



* * *

## Part 4

  * He hunted down Kairi, or, tried to
  * She found him first
  * She asked him to understand
  * She understood, he didn’t mean any of it
  * But their parents were adamant
  * Couldn’t he just wait
  * Just a little longer
  * Once high school was over they didn’t have to listen to their parents
  * Maybe she could tell how much he didn’t agree with having to wait
  * “You’re different Riku…”
  * He thought back to his homelife
  * To his school life
  * To his empty life without his best friends this past year and a half or so
  * He smiled at her, and left
  * He understood, she didn’t intend to leave him in the darkness
  * But she did
  * He did
  * They left him alone in his thoughts
  * And if he had to wait for them to finish school
  * He was certain he wouldn’t be the same
  * If he was even around at all
  * So he met with Ansem for the fourth time
  * Trying not to think of the symbolic meaning of the number four
  * And he agreed to open the door
  * He threw his homeworld into the very darkness that had been smothering him



# End the Islands / Begin Hollow Bastion


	2. Hollow Bastion: 1-3

##  The Bastion: 

* * *

##  Part 1

  * He had wandered the Islands as it fell
  * Ripped apart by darkness
  * He had offered his hand to his best friends with a smile
  * And was rebuked twice
  * Ansem never said how to actually travel to other worlds
  * Just that if he opened his heart to darkness
  * He would be taken to another world
  * He passed out while drowning in his own darkness again
  * And woke with a pounding head on a floating ice block
  * As he looked at the rising waterfalls around him
  * The floating pieces of icy land
  * A small part of him knew he should be more impressed than he was
  * He couldn’t bring himself to even react
  * Something he had wished for, since he was a small child
  * Was finally happening to him
  * And he just couldn’t care
  * His world had denied him
  * He was safe here
  * Something told him that inside
  * So he watched the rising falls
  * And let himself finally cry
  * He was just so tired



* * *

##  Part 2

  * Thankfully, it was when he had no more tears that someone else appeared
  * He wondered how much of that she saw
  * As he gazed at her skin, her horns
  * And saw her for what she was
  * A fae, a child-thief
  * A legend and bedtime story
  * A person he had begged to appear 
  * For so many dark nights of his childhood
  * And she was offering him what he had wanted during those nightmarish nights
  * Safety, care, a home to call his own
  * She was late, so late
  * Which Riku was glad to say to her face
  * And Maleficent smiled softly
  * Before explaining that his homeworld was out of her reach
  * There had been no fae on the Islands for almost a century
  * So none could have answered his pleas before now
  * And even though he was almost an adult by human standards
  * He was still yet a child
  * And she heard his calls when he arrived on this world
  * She offered her hand, and didn’t ask for his name
  * But he gave it to her willingly
  * What else did he have to lose when he’s already lost his world
  * He followed along with her, hand in hand
  * He wanted to drop her hand when he met her friends
  * So he did
  * And she put her hand on his shoulder
  * Making it perfectly clear that he was her latest acquisition
  * While her friends eyed him in confusion
  * He was just a boy, how useful could he be?



* * *

##  Part 3

  * He tried his best
  * He took to her lessons easy enough
  * He had always been a quick learner
  * Even if he hated school back on the islands
  * Magic was full of intent
  * And his intent was to protect the things that mattered
  * He just had to rethink what mattered to him
  * He was curious so he asked his new guardian about his world
  * The friends that denied him
  * He still loved them
  * She searched for them, promising to tell him when they were found
  * He just had to keep at his lessons
  * His swordplay
  * His magic
  * And she would tell him what he desired
  * When the time came of course
  * Until then, he did whatever she asked
  * What did he have to lose?
  * Still, he hesitated when she tried to teach him a few things
  * How to summon the heartless
  * How to control them
  * He hesitated when she claimed she needed someone to steal away a young girl
  * She couldn’t have been older than 10 he thought
  * Though she was very happy to correct him that she was 14, thank you very much
  * He didn’t get a chance to talk very long with Alice
  * Content that he was willing, she sent him right back out
  * To get another princess, from another set of woods



#  Pause Hollow Bastion / Begin Traverse Town

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "his world" = sora and kairi


	3. Chapter 3

## The Town:

* * *

## Part 1

  * When he returned with yet another young girl in tow
  * Again, one claiming to be older than she looked
  * His guardian had news for him
  * She found a part of his world
  * Sora
  * He almost rushed to where she said he was
  * But she kept Riku there while she explained her findings
  * Sora had been off on adventures
  * With new friends
  * And there was no sign of the other half of his world when she looked in on them
  * No Kairi
  * Just Sora and a quack and a dog on two legs
  * He listened to Maleficent, and let himself calm down first
  * Then he went to the in-between world and waited
  * He picked at his gloves
  * Twirled his hair
  * Paced back and forth
  * Surely Sora hadn’t forgotten about Kairi
  * Surely he was looking for her
  * And they could look together after they meet again
  * He could introduce him to his guardian
  * She found Sora so easily
  * Surely they could find Kairi even easier with two hearts instead of one
  * Everything could go back to normal



* * *

## Part 2

  * He jumped when he heard the wizard’s door open
  * Hid behind a wall
  * He wasn’t ready to see him again
  * What in the world made him think he could do this
  * But Maleficent walked up right behind where he hid and raised an eyebrow
  * Somehow, she must have known that he needed some excuse
  * Some trigger to talk to him
  * He hadn’t managed to tell her what life was like back on the islands
  * But he knew he needed a safety measure
  * Even if their parents weren’t around anymore to pull them apart
  * She summoned a heartless behind Sora
  * Just a weak one
  * One he could easily control and order to walk away
  * Instead, he waited until it was closer
  * And struck it down
  * Making sure it was obvious he just saved Sora
  * No one could say he almost killed Sora this time
  * Yet, why were they so...
  * What the hell did a Keyblade matter for
  * He remembered Terra
  * He remembered holding that key
  * There were plenty of keyblades around
  * Just go find Terra
  * Leave Sora with him
  * They’ll find Kairi
  * They’ll live together
  * They’ll figure out what to do from there
  * Riku didn’t need or want to be anywhere near the weirdos
  * Didn’t Sora want that too
  * Why did it not even cross his mind to abandon the quack and dog
  * Forget it
  * He can’t handle this again right now
  * As they argued, he stepped back
  * Feeling the cloak of his guardian’s glamour slipping over him
  * He ran again
  * He was getting so good at that lately
  * He ran and he hid
  * He followed behind them as they walked into a house nearby
  * His guardian cast another spell as she walked up to him
  * And he heard and saw what was happening inside
  * He saw how Sora laughed with strangers
  * Was friends with them without a care
  * Didn’t think much at all of Riku
  * Didn’t wonder where he went so quickly
  * Maleficent held his shoulder and he finally looked away from the scene
  * Maybe Kairi still cared
  * He just had to find her first



* * *

# End Traverse Town / Continue Hollow Bastion


	4. Hollow Bastion: 4-5

##  The Bastion: 4-5

* * *

##  Part 4

  * He went back to training
  * To learning about the heartless
  * His faery guardian kept her heartless searching
  * For the half of his world that he still had
  * She found another princess
  * And asked him to handle her securing
  * He finally asked about the girls
  * Why these princesses needed to be gathered
  * Cinderella and Aurora had been here long before he arrived
  * But she had had him steal away Snow White and Alice
  * And now she asked that he retrieve this Belle
  * At least she went with him
  * Bringing the heartless and watching the destruction
  * As he snuck into the castle and convinced the girl to follow him
  * Maleficent put the girl to sleep the instant she was in view
  * He carried her as he followed her back through the portal home
  * The heartless were left to wander the world
  * And she still hadn’t answered his question



* * *

##  Part 5

  * Well she hadn’t answered it properly
  * She asked him if he would stop helping her if he had a reason
  * And he hadn’t known what to say
  * He was breaking all these girls’ trust
  * All because his keeper asked him to
  * He just
  * Couldn’t find it in himself to care about them
  * So he changed his question
  * He asked if she was controlling him
  * Changing his mind to suit her own
  * She admitted she could whisper
  * To the darkness in one’s heart
  * Suggest they do things they might not otherwise even think about
  * But in the end, it is a suggestion
  * Whether or not a person does her suggestion
  * Well, that’s entirely up to them
  * Her spell went off again
  * With a wave of her hand, Belle was taken care of
  * And her enchanted table showed a new girl
  * With her words still in mind, 
  * Riku noticed one of the faery’s suggestions
  * She wanted him to bow his head and take his leave
  * She only said the bit about capturing the girl
  * Didn’t verbally suggest he bow his head
  * He wondered if she was doing it to prove a point
  * If she had done it before to him
  * He purposefully kept his head up
  * But still, he allowed himself to be carted off to a new world



* * *

#  Pause Hollow Bastion / Start Agrabah

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> by "this is finished", it turns out i meant, "everything but the veeeeeeeeeeeeery end is figured out but i'm working on it"


	5. Agrabah

##  The Desert:1-2

* * *

##  Part 1

  * It was a blistering world
  * Full of sand and heat
  * Not a hint of water anywhere
  * He hated it
  * Where was the ocean
  * Maleficent allowed him to wander the world
  * He wasn’t needed just yet
  * Apparently the princess hadn’t even been secured yet
  * She didn’t even need to say what she was thinking
  * Riku heard it loud and clear when she raised that eyebrow
  * If Riku were allowed to
  * He could secure the princess quickly
  * All he needed was a face
  * A vague description
  * So far he had always found the right person
  * Extremely quickly
  * What could he say? He’s good at it
  * He took the unsung praise
  * And held it close to his heart
  * It wasn’t a skill that would be praised back on the islands
  * It wasn’t a skill his world would appreciate
  * But he was good at it
  * And it was helping him find the half of his world
  * That hadn’t denied him yet
  * Yes Kairi’s words had hurt back on the island
  * But he had been able to tell back then
  * It hurt her to say them
  * She must still be on his side despite everything
  * She has to be



* * *

##  Part 2

  * While he wandered the deserted town 
  * He looked for this princess
  * He pulled himself onto the highest rooftop and looked down
  * He saw a girl tuck herself away between some pots
  * And he knew instantly that was her
  * If he thought about, he was sure he could feel her light shining
  * Then he saw his guardian and the vizier enter the area
  * Neither of them seemed to realize the girl was there
  * And now he was curious
  * Maleficent had implied he should let Jafar search
  * Let him prove himself of use
  * So he watched the princess
  * Didn’t make a single move to grab her
  * He saw Sora run around
  * He saw Jafar’s utter failure in keeping the girl
  * At one point he thought he heard his name, and hid more
  * But mostly he just watched
  * Maleficent dropped by again
  * The lot of them were in that cavern in the desert
  * Jafar, Maleficent, the princess, the genie
  * He waved with a smirk when her eyes found his own hidden high above
  * They didn’t say a word to each other
  * And when a door opened suddenly
  * Before his guardian faded away from sight
  * He felt one of her spells take hold again
  * Judging by the lack of reaction from Sora
  * He was invisible
  * Hah, did she really think he could grab the girl
  * In front of everyone
  * In the middle of a fight
  * Well she was right 
  * Though he did wait until there was a large opening
  * Not the one in the ground, but it did help



* * *

#  End Agrabah / Start Monstro


	6. Monstro

## The Whale: 1-2

* * *

## Part 1

  * He didn’t remain in the bastion for long
  * He handed over the princess and went along with Hook
  * Because the faery had found the part of his world that still existed
  * She found Kairi
  * Just as she promised she would
  * And he needed to go to her quick
  * He was warned, she had been found alright
  * But she was still as the grave
  * Breathing so light it was as though she wasn’t at all
  * Maleficent suspected her Heart had been stolen,
  * But she’d need to see her to know for sure
  * And Riku believed her as he went with the good captain
  * Why shouldn’t he?
  * Everything else she had spoken had been truth
  * And he knew it was impossible for her type to lie
  * Of course, he didn’t know everything about her type
  * He knew a name was powerful
  * He knew he had given her power over him
  * But he felt she hadn’t taken advantage
  * He couldn’t see the threads she wove around him for what they were
  * He only saw her protecting what was hers
  * He saw her doing her best to make him happy by getting him everything he ever wanted
  * He just had to go on a little trek to get her
  * Needless to say, he was surprised when, whilst practicing, he found himself drawn to a space whale
  * The heartless spoke about a puppet they met inside the whale
  * He moved and danced, sang and played
  * But he was simply a doll, given a heart through unknown means
  * Perhaps he was the key to waking Kairi when Riku got her back



* * *

## Part 2

  * He barely had to do anything to get Hook to lay anchor
  * Just a show of power
  * A reminder of who Hook served and who she liked better
  * A small threat to keep alongside the whale or else
  * Then it was child’s play to whisk the puppet away from his father
  * For a moment, Riku wondered if he should be worried
  * At how easy stealing people from their loved ones had become for him
  * But as soon as the thought was had, it slipped away,
  * Because what did it matter?
  * Everything he did, he did for the sake of his world
  * He did to see them smile at him again
  * Then he saw Sora
  * He couldn’t help it
  * He offered Sora a chance to take his hand
  * Yes he had been abandoned before by him
  * But
  * Maybe this time…
  * Only he had been denied once again
  * And after fighting by Sora’s side for the last time
  * Riku steeled his heart and disappeared back to Hook’s ship



* * *

# End Monstro / Start Neverland


	7. Neverland

##  The Ship: 1-2

* * *

##  Part 1

  * They flew the rest of the way to Neverland 
  * He watched from up high as Hook's men scrambled to meet up again, captives in tow
  * Frowned as the girl in the blue dress escaped those men 
  * His orders had been clear
  * Capture the suspected princess of heart while retrieving his sleeping world
  * So he dropped down in front of her
  * Gave a smile, took her hand
  * And cast a sleep spell on her
  * He carried her in his arms to the same room Kairi had been put away in
  * Then he called for his guardian
  * She had sworn to him, she would always hear his Call
  * He tapped his foot as he waited, he didn't want to waste time here
  * He had to get Kairi home
  * He could hear the crew around him, getting ready to leave port
  * Finally, she arrived
  * And he could sense another of her suggestions
  * Again she wanted him to bow his head
  * Genuflect, kneel
  * She suggested to his Heart, that he show her respect
  * Respect was different on the Islands
  * He purposefully raised his chin
  * Maybe he'll tell her about Islander Respect later



* * *

##  Part 2

  * Wendy wasn't a Princess of Heart
  * Maleficent didn't take long to figure that out
  * The girl had been captured for nothing 
  * And Riku felt his annoyance grow
  * At least that explained why he hadn’t felt an absurd amount of light from her
  * Like he felt from the other princesses
  * Unfortunately, that also explained why he had always seen Kairi
  * As a light in the darkness
  * Brightening the world at large in a way no one had really been able to
  * He could have left with Kairi right then
  * But he asked his guardian to let him finish making the journey
  * He needed to think about things
  * What it meant that his world was one of the princesses
  * Would she be hurt?
  * Besides initial capture, none of the girls had been hurt
  * And only if it had been necessary
  * Mostly they slept
  * Unaware of what was going on around them
  * So it should be fine
  * Especially since Kairi was already asleep
  * He had hoped that puppet in the whale would provide a clue
  * A puppet with a heart
  * And he was still no closer to knowing how to wake Kairi short of finding her a new Heart
  * Was that even possible?
  * He’d have to ask Maleficent when he gets home
  * The half of his world that had denied him was here
  * Quarantined to below deck
  * He was no fool, Riku knew Sora would escape the room he had been dumped in
  * He just tried to buy some time while he worked some magic
  * Controlling the Heartless was tricky
  * But they tended to follow whoever was strongest
  * And their kin
  * He had been claimed by the faery, and she was the strongest he knew
  * It was easier to control the ones that he could hear clearly
  * The ones not consumed by the single-minded thought to consume the light
  * But that wasn’t the magic he tried to work
  * Sora had grown stronger, he wouldn’t deny that to himself
  * So to keep him away from Riku and Kairi...
  * Riku needed to find a strong opponent for Sora
  * He shaped the shadows
  * Tried it with himself first
  * The Not Quite Heartless looked just like Riku
  * Fought like him during a quick spar
  * He hadn’t been shown how to do this
  * He hadn’t even been sure it could be done 
  * But he succeeded, and so he shaped the shadows into Sora instead
  * Imparted all the knowledge he had about Sora
  * And left the creature to fight and distract Sora
  * As he ran away with Kairi in his arms
  * He didn’t go far yet, just back to the clock tower of Neverland
  * He _could_ call for his guardian to bring him home
  * But he needed a moment
  * He stared at the moon, thought of his world
  * And soon decided that yes, he could do this
  * Yes, everything would be fine
  * He steeled his heart, took his world in his arms, and went home



* * *

#  End Neverland / Continue Hollow Bastion


	8. Hollow Bastion: 6-8

##  The Bastion: 6-8

* * *

##  Part 6

  * Upon arriving home via corridor, he realized why he should have stayed with the ship
  * His own power over darkness and the Heartless wasn’t quite strong enough yet
  * He fell to his knees upon exiting the portal
  * Kairi slipping from his grasp as he bent over and gasped
  * Maleficent was careful in moving his world
  * Floating her over to the room with the other princesses as he caught his breath
  * A few Shadows crowded around him, pressing their tiny bodies close
  * But keeping their claws sheathed
  * Somehow it helped
  * It wasn’t a smothering darkness
  * More comforting
  * He heard their curious questions and denied them answers
  * His guardian watched him carefully, admonishing him for his recklessness
  * But she didn’t move the Heartless
  * She didn’t strike them down
  * Or fear for his life in their claws
  * She simply watched 
  * And when the roar of that Beast he had once narrowly avoided sounded through the halls
  * Riku flinched
  * The Heartless drew closer and hissed at the roar
  * Maleficent reassured him that the Beast was no match for him
  * He slowly calmed down, rising to his feet and feeling the minute fog of fear diminish
  * She was right
  * He had the power of darkness, willing heartless, and the protection of a powerful faery
  * He had nothing to fear from a creature that hadn’t even noticed his princess had been stolen right out from under his nose
  * Not to mention, it had been a while since he kidnapped that girl, did Beast truly care for her at all?
  * Now that he was back to normal, she reminded him of something he still hadn’t tried out
  * When his guardian had first took him in and started training him, she had given him a blade and showed him how to summon armor of a sort
  * She mentioned how, had he thought to use it before, he wouldn’t have suffered as he had earlier from the long journey
  * The suit, being made from his own darkness, would protect him from the darkness in the Ocean Between
  * She bid him to practice while he had the time
  * And once he was ready, to confront the Beast
  * Her forces and powers would keep him outside the castle
  * Riku would be safe in his normal training grounds
  * She wouldn’t allow any harm to befall him, he was hers
  * And her kind took care of those that were theirs



* * *

##  Part 7

  * He trained, sparring with Heartless and occasionally taking a look outside at the Falls where Beast was quarantined 
  * He got the hang of his dark suit and went to confront their guest
  * He cut him down, showing no mercy and barely blinking at the blood
  * Sora arrived before he could finish the job
  * Riku took the keyblade
  * Maleficent had explained a few points to him about it, and he knew he could take it
  * The shame and horror on Sora's face was worth it
  * Let him feel like an utter failure for a while
  * It won't be close to what Riku had felt all these years, but it wiped that stupid smile off his face
  * Kairi wouldn’t like his cruelty, but that’s why he didn’t intend to let her know about it when he finally woke her
  * Maybe she would understand, maybe she wouldn’t
  * Riku just knows he intends for her to never know the extent of what he sacrificed to bring her back
  * Just that while he worked at it, Sora never searched for her
  * Sora never thought about either of them
  * Sora had gone around the worlds doing anything but helping Riku find Kairi
  * He was sure she would understand that
  * Feel as hurt as he was
  * They could ignore Sora for the rest of his life, his crimes against them too great to forgive
  * As he walked away, he noticed Sora’s little friends had abandoned him so easily, merely following the Keyblade
  * Yet hadn’t that duck denied Riku too? 
  * When he believed Riku had just been a random boy?
  * Despite his disgust in being followed by them, he didn’t send them away
  * He’ll present them as a gift to his guardian
  * They were the lackeys of that king she mentioned now and then, the one willingly trapped in the Realm of Darkness
  * Surely they'll be worth something to her



* * *

##  Part 8

  * They strolled past all the twittering Heartless, some of them clinging to Riku as he passed
  * That king's lackeys nervously looked about, their weapons drawn
  * Once they were in the Hall, he stopped
  * He wouldn't take them further in without permission, so he Called for his guardian 
  * There was a certain sense of joy he had when her voice echoed through the Hall, commanding him
  * And terrifying the lackeys
  * "Bring them to the chapel."
  * He turned to them and gestured to the large doors up the stairs with an almost polite grin
  * Retrieval was an easy mission to do, and though he longed to knock the duo out and have the Heartless carry them
  * They had entered the castle of their own free will, and were welcomed
  * Maleficent had asked he honor her hospitality traditions more often
  * Which meant he couldn't attack them...yet
  * They questioned him, tried to get him to deny her commands
  * Fearfully asked why he was on the side of evil 
  * He merely pointed up the steps and called for his friends
  * He and the Heartless stared at the duo, slowly forcing them up by stepping closer and closer
  * Then he heard the front door open and he turned around to see a former piece of his world
  * They fought
  * Sora wasn't welcome here and he came in without permission 
  * Riku hadn't broken any tradition, for that the faery should be glad
  * The lackeys denied him, going back to Sora who snatched back the Kingdom Key
  * The trio were held back by the Heartless as Riku faded into the shadows
  * He reappeared in the chapel, immediately seeking out his guardian, though he was stopped by a familiar shape 
  * Ansem 




	9. Hollow Bastion: 9-11

##  The Bastion: 

* * *

##  Part 9

  * This is the man that got him off the islands
  * He started it all
  * He hadn’t seen him inside the castle before, he hadn’t seen him at all since the islands fell
  * How many times had he offered to Riku an escape from his life?
  * He owed him his current life
  * None of this would have happened, had he not finally done as he was told
  * And now he was being offered more power?
  * How could he even take in any more Darkness? He was so deep in it already wasn’t he?
  * But he owed the man
  * So he opened his Heart even more and let the Darkness consume him further
  * He could feel the knowledge Ansem had, spreading through his mind
  * Until suddenly it stopped and Ansem was no longer in his mind, though the knowledge was left behind
  * He was woozy, but he knew for a fact that he heard a snarl of rage as he fell to the ground, the Heartless catching him
  * He heard arguing, but the words they spoke didn’t register in the slightest
  * In his haze, he felt his newly enhanced senses focus on a Light making their way through the lower castle
  * It only took a moment for him to realize who it was, who they were with, and what exactly they were doing
  * It was hard to ignore the screams of the Heartless as they died to the Keyblade
  * Something touched his shoulder and made soft comforting sounds
  * It was only then that he realized he had been mumbling frantically, swearing at Sora and hissing for him to stay away from the Heartless
  * In that moment, he also realized he didn’t care about some fabled weapon so long as it was turned against his army
  * With quiet coaching, Riku brought himself back to himself, dimmed his other senses so he would stop flinching with the death of each Heartless
  * He stared at Maleficent and Ansem
  * How long had he…
  * He rubbed at his eyes and ears and nose, noting by touch alone how he was in his Dark Suit 
  * There was something different, he could tell, he just couldn’t tell what
  * He thought more and slowly realized Ansem was more solid than he had been before
  * He thought even harder and realized his own ears were pointed and his teeth had sharpened
  * So he asked
  * And as the Heartless clamoured more for his attention and ignored Ansem, he realized there was something strange going on
  * Hadn’t these creatures been at Ansem’s beck and call?
  * Hadn’t Maleficent swore they would follow the strongest and call that person their master?
  * So why did they ignore both his guardian and the one to introduce him to darkness?
  * They were older, wiser, more powerful
  * And Ansem had that emblem on his chest, so he was one of them, wasn’t he?
  * And Maleficent had spilled once that her kind are born in the darkness, alongside the Heartless
  * “The Heartless have claimed you for one of their own. Congratulations, we're all kin now, dear boy."
  * Kin? Family? He didn't understand squat right now
  * But he knew he had an urge building up deep inside him, he wanted to see the mythical weapon
  * The Keyblade, which would lead all Heartless to Kingdom Hearts according to what Ansem had left in his brain
  * The Heart of All Hearts
  * And he wanted to go to it, but why?
  * His head just kept pounding, he ignored Ansem and Maleficent's conversation and stared down at the floor
  * Sensing the bright Light that was Sora's Heart, and...
  * "Kairi…That's where she was...I have to go get her."
  * Darkness puddled at his feet
  * "Boy. Take this, stab your former friend with it in the heart, it will release the princess's Heart from his. And turn him into a mindless Heartless for me to control."
  * Riku took the black and red blade he was offered, he could tell it was a keyblade, but that it wasn't any more special than the one Sora held
  * Or the one that man years ago had offered to him
  * Its abilities were common
  * Its origin was pure Light
  * How did Ansem even hold it?



* * *

##  Part 10

  * This wasn't the time for such questions, so Riku took the weapon and melted into the darkness
  * He watched Sora fight, kept the growing snarl quiet
  * He should have known Kairi was with him
  * He should have known both halves of his world would be together 
  * They were always together when they weren't with him
  * But he hadn't sensed her before, why hadn't he? It was so obvious now that he looked at them
  * Would she be able to see what's been happening? Would she agree with him that Sora was out of line?
  * Would she see through Sora's eyes as Riku killed him?
  * Would she forgive him? 
  * No, she wouldn't, no matter how in the right Riku is, Kairi would not forgive him
  * He had to play this smart
  * He murmured an apology to his Heartless, then struck down one meant to attack Sora while he took a breather
  * Sora and his new best friends stared at him in his dark suit
  * And he tried to explain, he asked Sora to let him try to free Kairi's Heart
  * He said it would hurt since he would have to stab him
  * But it should be fine in the end
  * Everyone should be fine
  * He had never been more grateful to not have become a fae like his guardian yet, though he knew it would happen eventually 
  * He wove his lie, made it desperate enough, said Kairi needed to be awake
  * She and the other Princesses would be the only ones able to stop the man Riku had just run away from
  * He's on your side Sora, please



* * *

##  Part 11

  * In the end, Sora took the black and red keyblade in hand and did the deed himself
  * Riku grabbed the released Heart
  * He ordered the new Heartless to follow
  * He left the duck and dog alone as he returned to where he had left Kairi's body
  * He returned her Heart, watched her blink her eyes open as his guardian and Ansem entered the room
  * He watched her flinch away from him, and he didn't fault her for it
  * He could feel Ansem's too eager eyes staring at her from behind him
  * He must look terrifying with these nonhuman beings behind him
  * She's been asleep this whole time, she wouldn't know it's safe now
  * "It's okay, they're with me. They helped me get you back."
  * She eyed the confused little Shadow, and her eyes lit up in recognition 
  * He reassured her, the Heartless wouldn't hurt her like the one that had stolen her Heart before
  * He was safe, they were all safe, because they listened to Riku, obeyed him
  * He ignored the curious questions about Kairi from the Heartless
  * Who was she, why was she so warm and bright, why was she so familiar 
  * "Riku...what did you do to Sora? Why is he like this?"
  * He insisted, he did it to himself, he had no part in this, but look, Sora wasn't gone
  * He was here, in a more huggable size, and yeah she couldn't hear his normal chattering anymore, but Riku could, and he could translate for him
  * Riku had his whole world all right here, everyone could be happy together now
  * Everything is alright now, they're together again after so long of being apart
  * No one can pull his world away from him now, he was strong enough to protect them
  * Even if he has to protect them from the very people that helped him become strong
  * He can do it now
  * "And _who_ told him to stab himself, Riku? You know he's always done whatever you said."
  * She **knew** ; she saw through his lies so easily and his spine chilled as he watched her silently
  * Ansem and Maleficent had been happy to leave him to chat with the princess until now
  * He felt his guardian's hand land on his shoulder as she pulled him in and whispered
  * She suggested to him a few courses of action, and reminded him that his friend was still needed to complete their plan
  * Ansem merely called him a boy, somehow expecting that to tell Riku everything he needed to know
  * And it did, in a way, it told him the humanoid heartless was running out of patience
  * Kairi didn't need to be _awake_ to help them in their plan, she just needed her Heart
  * Riku let his emotions show on his face
  * His sadness, his remorse, his longing, his desperation 
  * Then he approached Kairi for a hug, she allowed it
  * She tried to comfort him, running her hands through his hair
  * "I'm sorry, Kairi…"
  * Then he cast a strong spell, and she went limp in his arms



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> while this is a good ending point, i still have some more i want to include, but i need to head to bed first so i'll get to it tmrw


	10. Hollow Bastion: 12-16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last of it until I decide how to actually do KH2 and other games with it, if I do

## The Bastion: 12-16 Finale

* * *

## Part 12

  * He carried her to the room with the keyhole, kept little Shadow Sora by his side
  * No matter how he complained, Riku would not allow Ansem to take control of the former keyblade master
  * Even if the Heartless didn't know who he was, Riku did, and he would keep Sora and Kairi close
  * They were his Lights
  * His world
  * And he wouldn’t allow anyone to take them from him now that he finally has them back
  * He had done so much just to have them by his side now
  * He was grateful for Ansem's offers in the past, but he would repay his kindness another way
  * He watched Kairi float, played with her hair
  * He didn't watch his guardian's spellwork, didn't care that they were supposedly opening Kingdom Hearts
  * Something inside him laughed at it
  * Was certain the Kingdom Hearts they tried to claim, was much different than they thought
  * The portal was opened and Kairi glowed
  * Behemoths sprang forward and watched him nonchalantly gesture to the adults ithe room
  * Floods of Heartless came with the darkness, they all waited for his initial command before obeying Maleficent and Ansem
  * He tried not to think about what that could mean
  * Before, he had had trouble, any creature that was single-minded wouldn't listen no matter how he would urge in the past 
  * Now there was only ease, all listened
  * Both the chattering kind that spoke of the world around them, and the heart-centric ones that only thought of expanding their numbers
  * What color were his eyes?



* * *

## Part 13

  * The Heartless crowded around him, cooing over that whom they called prince, both natural and artificial 
  * Only the very strongest of them ignored Riku's silent words
  * Only Ansem and his own world
  * He didn't know how he knew Ansem was a Heartless, or how he had missed that before, but he knew it now
  * Ansem didn't listen to anyone but himself
  * Maleficent forced him to listen sometimes, whenever it directly went against what Riku wished
  * But for the most part they left the Heartless man alone with his darkness
  * The faery kept up Riku's lessons, helping him reach greater levels of magic
  * He could still hear her suggestions, her whispers, in his heart and mind
  * Occasionally he gave into them, because they suited him to do so
  * But for the most part, he ignored them, believing that even if she held his name, and his power in her clawed grasp, he knew better than her for how to use it
  * What color were his eyes?
  * He hadn't checked a mirror in weeks, hadn't looked too closely at his own reflection in longer
  * When his body had changed, his eyes had felt different too
  * But he hadn't checked, he wondered if he should have
  * Maybe it would have made a difference



* * *

## Part 14

  * "Kingdom Hearts" had been open for months now
  * Sora slept next to Kairi, waking every morning to trot alongside Riku as he went about his job
  * Kairi slept, never moving
  * The last time she had been awake, she gave Sora his human body back, with a simple hug from a Princess of Heart
  * Sora had fought Riku to release them, to close Kingdom Hearts 
  * Riku had the Heartless cast their strongest immobilizing spells on them both while he thought of what to do
  * In the end, he had put Kairi back into a deep sleep
  * Then he drowned Sora in darkness until he was a Heartless again
  * This time his body was more humanoid, and he still knew Kairi
  * He was more aware
  * Wispy darkness drifted off of him
  * And he was unable to refuse Riku
  * It disturbed him at first, being able to _order_ his best friend to do anything
  * Remembering how much easier things would have been if he could have just ordered Sora and Kairi to ignore their parents before
  * But that vague disturbance disappeared around the same time that he realized he definitely wasn’t human anymore
  * His guardian’s whispers were fully fleshed out words and suggestions
  * His eyes glowed in the dark, golden and bright
  * Ansem had been pleased at first, until he realized he couldn’t control Riku at all
  * He was very much inhuman, and a quick, confused look at Maleficent, led to answers



* * *

## Part 15

  * Living in darkness for so long
  * Living with fae magic gently wrapping itself around him
  * Living with his name, his self, in the firm grasp of a fae
  * Opening himself to the darkness as he had done
  * When she had proclaimed the Heartless called him kin, she meant it
  * They didn’t call him a prince out of respect for being her ward
  * He was a Heartless, in human shape, like Ansem
  * He was a Fae being, in human shape, like Maleficent
  * Two different types of beings of darkness in one body
  * It was weird to think about, especially whenever he looked at his eyes and remembered what she said
  * That gold eyes are a sign that you’ve been claimed by the darkness
  * She did say it weirdly, almost like the darkness was a person, but that was impossible
  * It was comforting when wrapped around him, yes, but darkness can’t be a person
  * There’s not enough substance to its presence



* * *

## Part 16

  * Months pass, years
  * Maleficent introduced him to the fae courts as her son and heir
  * So many worlds fell to darkness, to the heartless
  * And then he’d see those same worlds again every time he visited the fae courts
  * They were grateful for his help in repopulating their dying existence
  * Because that’s what her goal had been all along
  * Send worlds to darkness, let whoever survives become one of the fae
  * He had to admit it was smart, and almost kind of her
  * Over the years he had learned just how much different fae morality was to how he grew up
  * She was hailed as a hero back home, self sacrificing, considerate and loving
  * While in the realm of light both of their names were spat in anger and hatred
  * How dare she sink worlds into darkness 
  * How dare he kill the only hope the worlds had for light to shine again
  * How dare he betray the Light, when the Light betrayed him first
  * He found himself caring less and less as time went on
  * He had what he wanted, his world nearby, safe and on his side
  * So what if one of them slept forever, and the other would be chained forever? 
  * They were _his_.



# END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, yes Riku is meant to echo Maleficent all through this AU, that's the main point of it
> 
> The reason I chose to post this in a weird format was because I dont currently have the time to publish this in the format it deserves, a long multi chapter one, maybe I'll be able to someday


End file.
